Taiwanese stands tall at Midlands

CARMONA, Cavite – Taiwanese Chiang Huang endured a long rain delay then came out of foggy condition a clear winner, claiming a four-shot victory over three stunned Thai aces on a fiery windup in the ICTSI Champion Tour at Tagaytay Midlands here yesterday.

Huang birdied three of the last four holes in impressive fashion and finished with a bogey-free 67 in wet, tough conditions, turning what had appeared to be a wild, scrambling ending into a runaway triumph as Pannapa Polnamin, Supamas Sangchan and Renuka Suksukont all failed to match the Taiwanese charge.

The 22-year-old Huang closed out with a 34-33 for a 12-under 204 aggregate, beating Sangchan, Polnamin and Suksukont by four after the Thais wound up with identical 208s on 68, 69 and 71, respectively.

The margin of victory didn’t actually reflect the manner by which Huang had to overcome the pressure from his chief rivals, including Princess Superal, and tension of a finale that in one stretch had looked to be going the way it was last week when it was cancelled due to inclement weather and unplayable conditions at Southwoods.

As the battle heated up at the turn with Superal moving from five-down to one behind with a solid five-under 31, play was stopped due to downpour then fog set in and blanketed parts of the backside, prompting the organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. to consider cancelling the third round altogether and let the three leaders after 36 holes – Ploychompoo Wilairungrueng, Suksukont and Huang – dispute the crown in a playoff.

But as the skies cleared a bit and play was resumed, Superal pressed her bid in third-to-the-last flight with another birdie on No. 12. But she bogeyed two of the next three and kissed her title bid goodbye.